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The Seventh Belt and Road Summit

Co-organised by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the 7th Belt and Road Summit was held on 31 August and 1 September 2022 in a hybrid mode. The Summit was one of the major events to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR. Themed “Heralding a New Chapter: Collaborate and Innovate”, the two-day event was signed up by over  6 000 government officials, business leaders and professionals from more than 80 countries and regions. Up to 1 September 2022, the viewership of the Summit had reached 19 000. Over 800 one-on-one business matching meeting sessions for some 280 projects were arranged. Besides, the Summit featured online and offline exhibitions with more than 60 exhibitors.

Summit Highlights

The programme of the Summit includes -

  1. Opening Session;
  2. Policy Dialogue Session – Driving Growth through Partnership and Collaboration;
  3. Business Plenary Sessions
    • Collaborate for a Bright New Era;
    • Capturing Synergies between Belt and Road and Greater Bay Area;
  4. 11 Thematic Breakout Sessions; and
  5. Four Project Pitching Sessions.

(1) Opening Session

The Hon John KC Lee, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM, Chief Executive of the HKSAR delivered his opening address.

Vice-premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Han Zheng, graced the event and gave a video keynote speech.

In addition, Minister of Commerce, Mr Wang Wentao; Chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Mr Hao Peng; and Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, Mr Lin Nianxiu; gave special addresses. Besides, Mr Zhang Xiangchen, Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organisation delivered keynote address.

(2) Policy Dialogue Session – Driving Growth through Partnership and Collaboration

The Hon Michael Wong, GBS, JP, Deputy Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, chaired the Policy Dialogue Session titled “Driving Growth through Partnership and Collaboration”. He shared insights on nurturing and enhancing partnership and collaboration under the ASEAN, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). He was joined by Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies of Singapore, Mr Heng Swee Keat; Secretary of State of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport of Cambodia, H.E. Lim Sidenine; Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment of Indonesia, Mr Luhut Binsar Panjaitan; Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry of Malaysia, YB Senator Datuk Lim Ban Hong; and Thai Trade Representative and Advisor to the Prime Minister of Thailand, M.L. Chayotid Kridakon.

(3) Business Plenary Sessions

Collaborate for a Bright New Era

The Hon Paul Chan, GBM, GBS, MH, JP, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR, gave special remarks at this Business Plenary Session, highlighting Hong Kong’s distinctive and unique competitiveness as an international financial, trading and shipping centre, and elaborated on Hong Kong’s role in actively contributing to the Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI). Led by Mr Ronnie Chan, Chairman, Hong Kong Centre of the Asia Society, the panel discussed and provided insights on how the RCEP and the B&RI drive economic growth and empower cross-border collaboration for businesses.

Capturing Synergies between Belt and Road and the GBA

Chaired by Dr David YK Wong, Permanent Honorary President of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong, the panel of renowned business leaders discussed how closer cross-border relationships and connectivity will be further strengthened during the pandemic recovery period.

(4) Thematic Breakout Sessions

  1. Global Vision, International Standards and China’s Advantages: Building the Northern Metropolis as a New Gateway to the B&RI and the GBA

    This session was co-organised with the China International Contractors Association. Chaired by Director of Research of HKTDC, Ms Irina Fan, a panel of industry players to discuss how to leverage the advantage of Hong Kong as an international and professional hub, and the reputation of “Chinese construction” brand to facilitate international co-operation, to attract premium resources and cutting edge technologies, and to facilitate collaboration amongst the Northern Metropolis, the GBA and the B&RI.

  2. International Dispute Resolution: Hong Kong as a leading centre for resolving disputes along the Belt and Road

    Co-organised with Department of Justice of the HKSAR Government, the Hon Paul Lam, SBS, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice of the HKSAR, delivered welcome remarks at this breakout session. Prominent speakers from the legal community, led by the Panel Chair, Dr Anthony Neoh, Chair of the Asian Academy of International Law, exchanged views on how Hong Kong could serve clients looking for full-fledged dispute resolution services with its strategic international connections, state-of-the-art online dispute resolution technologies and diverse funding options.

  3. Tallest, Fastest, and Infrastructure for the Future

    Chaired by the Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC, Dr Patrick Lau, distinguished panel speakers, who have masterminded some of the world’s most famous infrastructures, shared their respective vision on new-era infrastructure development and sustainable transportation.

  4. Hong Kong as a Risk Management Centre in Support of the National Strategy of Belt and Road Initiative

    Co-organised with the Insurance Authority (IA), representatives from leading reinsurers led by the Panel Chair, Mr Tony Chan, Associate Director (Policy Development) of IA, discussed the way forward for Hong Kong as a risk management centre and a regional reinsurance hub, as well as how stakeholders should work together to capitalise on the national strategies.

  5. How Digitalization is Driving the GBA and Belt & Road Development

    This session was co-organised with Dun & Bradstreet Hong Kong. Chaired by Ms Michelle Mak, Leader of Partnership, Alliance, Enterprise Learning and Customer Education, Dun & Bradstreet Hong Kong, speakers from a wide range of industries shared how they have successfully leveraged technologies and data to mitigate possible risks and capture the enormous business opportunities arising from the B&RI and the development of the GBA.

  6. Striving towards a Sustainable Future: the Role of Transition Finance

    This session was co-organised with the Infrastructure Financing Facilitation Office (IFFO) of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Moderated by Mr Rami Hayek, General Manager of IFFO, the panel shared views on transition finance, with a focus on the potential for transition finance to drive green development, opportunities for fund raising and investment, as well as the challenges in the transition finance sector.

  7. Embracing Green Technology and Talent Cultivation in the GBA

    Co-organised with the Hong Kong Cyberport, Mr Simon Chan, Chairman of Cyberport delivered welcome remarks at this session. Renowned industry leaders and representatives of Cyberport start-ups, led by Ir Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer of Cyberport and Ms Alice So, Head of Entrepreneurship of Cyberport respectively, discussed how Hong Kong can leverage its unique advantages to become a prominent green finance hub for Belt and Road countries and the GBA, and to foster youth innovation and entrepreneurship.

  8. Hong Kong as a Capital Raising Hub for Belt and Road, the GBA and RCEP Region

    This session was co-organised with Bank of China (Hong Kong). Chaired by Mr Kwok Kwok-chuen, CEO of the Hong Kong Academy of Finance, the panel discussed and explored how Hong Kong can leverage its unique economic advantages in acting as a gateway for the GBA to reach out to the RCEP and the Belt and Road countries, and facilitate trade in its capacity as an important capital raising hub.

  9. Fostering Trade and Investment Connectivity in the RCEP

    Co-organised with Standard Chartered, the session was moderated by Dr Hon Stephen Wong, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Public Policy Institute of Our Hong Kong Foundation. Renowned panelists looked into financial innovations and services which could cater to the need of trade and investment connectivity in the RCEP.

  10. Cross-border Trade Opportunities under the Post-pandemic Era

    Co-organised with HSBC, the session was moderated by Mr Anson Bailey, Partner of Hong Kong KPMG China. Experts from manufacturing, supply chain, domestic trade and ecommerce shared their insights at the session on how to leverage Hong Kong’s service excellence to tap consumer markets in the Mainland and ASEAN.

  11. Exploring Globalisation: Opportunities for Start-ups and Young Business Leaders

    Unprecedented opportunities arose both worldwide and regionally for startups and SMEs as inspired by the B&RI and economic integration within the GBA and the RCEP. Chaired by Mr Jason Lee, Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Y. Elites Association, young business leaders and influential financial industry players shared their experiences on how to seize these exciting new multilateral collaboration opportunities as well as the ways to raise capital for start-ups.

(5) Project Pitching Sessions

Four project pitching sessions were arranged for project owners and interested participants to explore collaboration opportunities on such sectors as energy, natural resources and public utilities; innovation and technology; urban development; and transport and logistics infrastructure.

Last revision date: 1 September 2022